Strasbourg:
The tram as a key element of urban transport policy
Strasbourg:
| |
| Country: | a) Western Europe | ,b) France |
| Language: | |
| Type: | Policy, 2 |
| Area: | City/Town, Outskirts, 100,000 - 1 mill. |
| Actors: | Local government, Regional government, Economic sector |
| Funding: | Local government, Regional government, Economic Sector |
| Topics: | Mobility and transport |
| Objectives: | Increase green areas |
| Increase non-motorised mobility | |
| Reduce car mobility | |
| Reduce car parks | |
| Reduce energy consumption | |
| Instruments: | Pricing and tax structure |
In 1994 Strasbourg became the fourth city in France to introduce a new tram system. This innovative means of urban transport has been established as the backbone of an environmentally compatible traffic policy which also gives priority to the concept of simultaneous upgrading of public transport infrastructure and town planning in accordance with the needs of the inhabitants and the environment. The policy of the implementation of the Strasbourg tram system is an outstanding example of good practice for the following reasons:
In 1994, Strasbourg became the fourth city to reintroduce the tram as an environmentally compatible means of transport. Once the tram had a strong tradition as a major element of public transport in France. In 1930, there were 98 municipal tram systems in operation. However, most French cities abandoned tram operations in the years after World War II as the municipalities could afford to invest in the modernisation and extension of destroyed public transport infrastructure. The increase in car use and the inactivity of the French industry are further reasons for the lack of interest in this means of transport. In Strasbourg, the trams ran until 1960. A two year experiment with trolley buses had to be abandoned in 1962. Thereafter, public transport was limited to buses and a few local trains which were run by the French rail company SNCF.
In the 1970s a rethinking process started. Due to the impact of traffic congestion and air pollution the reopening of a tramway system was recommended by several studies on public transport. In 1975, the State Secretary of Transport, M. Cavaillé, commissioned nine of the most populous conurbations to develop specifications for new tramway-type rail systems. In addition, a competition was held to promote the development of a single standard specification for light rail equipment in France. In consequence, the race for a single standard led to the origination of two different types of light rail systems. The traditional ground-level systems are mainly manufactured in Italy (e.g. Breda or ABB/Socimi), whereas the French transport and railway industry developed a new underground system. This automated, light metro system (Véhicule Automatique Léger, VAL) is produced by Matra.
Throughout the 1980s there had been fierce debates as to the best available rail system among various municipalities in France. Some cities opted for the VAL system, which has the disadvantage of high construction costs due to the building of a tunnel system (Lille, Toulouse, Rennes). Other cities preferred the ground-level solution (Grenoble, Nantes, St. Denis/Bobingy, Rouen and Strasbourg). In the 1980s Bordeaux intended to build an underground VAL system, but Alain Juppe, the Mayor of Bordeaux and French Prime Minister, decided to switch over to the tramway system. A similar back and forth policy had taken place in Strasbourg.
In the 1970s, the city opted for a light rail system but the City of Nantes was granted the French model project due to its progressive planning and organisation in public transport. In 1983, the new Mayor of Strasbourg and President of Government of the Communité Urbaine de Strasbourg (CUS), favoured the VAL solution which offers a high-tech image and the possibility to build underground routes. He was supported by many business owners who argued that customers are used to shopping by car. Although the VAL system got CUS approval, it was not put into practice due to the incalculable financial aspects. In March 1989, political change swept the opposition and Ms. Cathrine Trautmann into power. She was an outspoken supporter of the tramway system, and as early as June 1989, the decision for VAL was revised. The following arguments had been taken into consideration:
The municipal decision in favour of the tram was a big step in the direction of revitalisation of Strasbourg’s urban spaces, especially the city centre. In 1991, this policy was founded on the principle of improving the urban quality of living (la qualité de la vie). Four overall themes are relevant for this return to the traditional virtues of urban development, which in the first place, can be characterised as an on-going restriction of car use:
The integration of town planning with the transport policy is based on six areas of action:
The introduction of the new tramway system is the central element of the new traffic policy. All other policy measures in the overlapping fields of town planning and transportation are subordinated to this concept goal.
1. The new tramway system
In November 1994, the first line of the new tramway with a length of 9.8 km was opened. It is running from Hautepierre to Illkirch Baggersee via the city centre. There is one tunnel at the Place du Gare which serves as a connection to a station of the national rail network. For the future, the route will be extended to Illkirch Cité technique and the final length will be 12.5 km. Up to now, there had been two hindrances to the project’s completion. Firstly, the Mayor of Illkirch-Graffenstaden, the second largest municipality in the CUS, had been an outspoken opponent of the project but lost his office due to a corruption scandal. Secondly, there were four possible routes which all have pros and cons.
Currently, the route has 18 stops and directly serves an area with 70,000 inhabitants and 70,000 employees. The service is provided between 4.30 A.M. to 0.15 A.M. The intervals are 4 minutes during peak time, 5 to 6 minutes during the rest of the day, 10 minutes after 8 P.M., and 15 minutes after 9 P.M.
The rolling stock was low-floor equipment with a new design. A single tram has a length of 33.1 metres, and it consists of up to four modules. In particular, the new tramway system is suitable for disabled people and persons with a baby carriage. Each tram has 267 places and 66 seats. All 26 vehicles have air-conditioning. The vehicles are designed by technicians from a working group of the CUS, the CTS (Compagnie des Transports Strasbourgeois, the Strasbourg transport company), the tramway building company, the Groupement d` Etude du Transport Moderne de l` Agglomeration Strasbourgeoise), the vehicle manufacture METRAM, and the bureau of industrial architecture (IDPO). METRAM was also responsible for the construction of the trams in Grenoble and Lyon.
2. The bus network
The tramway system is supported by the established bus network with a length of 310 km in the CUS, plus an additional 280 km in the smaller surrounding municipalities. In the CUS area there are 25 routes with 306 buses in operation, and the surrounding areas are served by 11 routes and 60 buses. The timetables of the buses have been synchronised with the tramway.
3. Promotion of bicycle use and improvement of walking facilities
The bicycle network has also been extensively enlarged to 160 km. Besides Rennes and Dijon, the bicycle network in the City of Strasbourg and in the CUS area is one of the largest of its kind in France. At important tram stops and bus stops bicycle parking spaces were also set up. In addition, these P+R facilities are equipped with free taxi phones, and it is also possible to rent electro-cars.
4. Reduction of car use
In February 1992, the new traffic plan was put into force. It has been mainly directed towards the reduction of automobile through-traffic. On the one hand, the crossing of the city centre by cars was prohibited and traffic loops and bypasses were imposed. On the other hand, new underground parking facilities were installed in the outlying areas of the city centre and under the central square (Place Kléber).
5. Replanning urban spaces in accordance with the public transport system
The target areas for reconstruction were main squares in the city centre, the Place Kléber and the Place de la Gare. They have been reshaped for the requirements of the tram and buses, as well as for cyclists and pedestrians. Ecological compensation measures along the new routes of the tram include the planting of 1,400 new trees and the transplanting of 300 trees.
6. Public participation and information campaign
The introduction of the tram and the building measures have been accompanied by an extensive public relations campaign on behalf of the CUS. A new logo, Bruno the bear, informed the inhabitants of forthcoming measures. An urban and tourist travel study is financed by LIFE financing in order to survey the performance of the new network, and the suitability of the provided services.
In the first year of operation, the tram has made a significant impact on the number of public transport passengers. The daily use of the trams amounts to 63,000 passengers, with 6,600 passengers per hour during rush hour.
With the opening of the tramway in November 1995, the total number of passengers per day in public transport increased from 155,000 in September 1994 (buses only) to 206,000 (including 63,000 passengers from the tram) in September 1995. This means that there are 30% new passengers using public transport.
The annual total number of public transport passengers rose from 32.3 million in 1994 to 41.2 million in 1995, which is an increase of 27%.
Between March 1995 and February 1996, the total number of passengers was 41.9 million.
Investments for the construction and equipment of the first route of the tram came from the following source of funding:
As in other French cities, a Transport Contribution for the purpose of financing the investment and operation of urban public transport systems in cities has been introduced. This tax, the so-called Versement de Transport, has to be paid to the local CTS by all employers with more than nine employees. The tax is fixed at 1.75% of the wage.
Scasso, Christian 1994: Un boa vert et gris, in: Le Rail, No.8 Novembre / Decembre, S. 38-40
Muller, Georges 1995: Die neue Straßenbahn in Straßburg, in: Hartmut H. Topp, (Hg.), Verkehr aktuell: Renaissance der Straßenbahn, Kaiserslautern, S. 71-81
Beyer, Hansjörg 1995: Die neue Tram in Strasbourg, in: Signal, H. 3-4, Juni, S. 31-33
Compagnie des Transports Strasbourgeois 1996: Strasbourg: Un an réseau bus - tram (mars 1995 - février 1996), Strasbourg
| Name | : | Gerad |
| Firstname | : | Pascale |
| Telefon | : | ++33/3 / 88 / 60 91 80 |
| Telefax | : | ++33/3 / 88 / 60 92 40 |
| Address | : | Chargée de la Communication |
| Direction du project tramway | ||
| Centre Administratif | ||
| 1, place de l´etoile | ||
| B.P. 1049/1050 F | ||
| F - 67070 Strasbourg cedex | ||
| Name | : | Mehl |
| Firstname | : | Gérard |
| Telefon | : | ++33/3 / 88 / 60 92 83 |
| Telefax | : | ++33/3 / 88 / 60 92 40 |
| Address | : | Directeur du project tramway |
| Centre Administratif | ||
| 1, place de l´etoile | ||
| B.P. 1049/1050 F | ||
| F - 67070 Strasbourg cedex | ||
| Name | : | Meneteau |
| Firstname | : | Alain |
| Telefon | : | ++33/3 / 88 / 60 92 08 |
| Telefax | : | ++33/3 / 88 / 60 93 89 |
| Address | : | Chef du service des |
| replacement urbaine | ||
| Centre Administratif | ||
| 1, place de l´etoile | ||
| B.P. 1049/1050 F | ||
| F - 67070 Strasbourg cedex | ||
The City of Strasbourg is situated in the Alsace region on the Franco-German border. The City of Strasbourg has 252,000 inhabitants and the catchment area is populated by 435,000 people. The City of Strasbourg is part of the regional political community of 27 municipalities, the Communité Urbaine de Strasbourg (CUS). The CUS covers an area of 30.9 square kilometres. As the City of Strasbourg accounts for more than half of the community, the Mayor of Strasbourg is normally also the head of government of the Communaté Urbaine de Strasbourg. The region, Département du Bas-Rhin, covers an area of 8,300 km². The region has 1.6 million inhabitants of which 1.2 million live in urban areas. Services are the major economic source with a share of 76.7%, compared to the industrial sector with 18.1%, construction with 5.2%, and agriculture with 0.2%.
The City of Strasbourg has a high number of public sector jobs (111,000) as it is a trading centre and the second largest finance centre in France. It has approximately 42,000 industrial jobs (especially paper, electronics, and food processing). In addition, there are many services related to the work of the European Parliament which has its seat in the city. Industrial activities also play an important economic role with 7,300 companies. Principal regional sectors are mechanical engineering, cars, chemicals, rubber and plastics, and farm produce. In environmental terms, the region suffers from a high level of air pollution, and a high proportion of activities capable of putting the environment at risk and contributing to the 'greenhouse' effect.
Project was added at 27.06.1996
Project was changed at 06.03.2001